https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4UHnReGilA
David Cassidy passed away today from organ failure at the age of just 67 according to KABC.
In 1970, the world feel in love with David Cassidy in The Partridge Family. He became a teen idol so quickly at 20, he did not know how to handle his newfound stardom even though he was the son of two living legends Jack Cassidy and Evelyn Ward and stepson to Shirley Jones. The latter was not only his stepmom in real life, she was also his TV mom on the sitcom that made him household name.
In order to deal with his fame, he took on drinking and drugs like his father and it took its toll on him. Even still, he kept on performing. He kept releasing music, starring on TV shows and even transitioning to Broadway in shows like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Blood Brothers with his real life half-brother Shaun Cassidy. I was fortunate enough to see him in that musical. After the show ended, my mom and I waited outside the stage door so she could meet Petula Clark, who played the mom. As we were waiting, David came out and did not want to sign autographs, so he ran away. As he was running away, like 50 women, who were not so young, were chasing him down Broadway even though he wanted to be left alone. I will never forget how obsessed they were him after all of those years, and are still in love with him now.
He was special. I know that because I interviewed him years later for ABC Family’s Ruby and the Rockits. I was enamored with the man, who sang I Think I Love You. He was a gentle soul even though he had been through hell and back.
Now he is at peace and out of pain. A pain that would have been worse for him as the Dementia started to take over like it did his mom. He was forced to retire earlier this year because of it and I would assume part of him died that day. He loved performing and without it, he was most likely not the same.
Today let’s honor him by singing his songs and watching the show that made us all happy. Come On Get Happy through the tears.
Here is a story about David as told by his brother Shaun from the Ruby and the Rockits’ interview. According to Shaun when Katie Cassidy was 15 years old, David brought her along to dinner one night with his brothers, who never met her nor know about her, and he told them, “Oh, and by the way, this is my daughter, I’ll have the chopped chicken liver and the…” That was how he introduced them to their niece. It was that moment that lead to Shaun pitching that show.
